Moving Company V.S. a DIY move

Moving house is quite exciting, but moving into your new house may not be so exciting. It is often then when we question a Moving Company V.S. a DIY move. Which option will be the best for you as some value their time and others value their savings.

There are however several factors to consider when valuing up the pros and cons of a moving company v.s. a diy move:

DIY Move:

An old favourite of many new homeowners/tenants are the trailer and friends move, the diy move. The main benefits of this moving method is that it will save you money, and lots of it. The negative is that it is incredibly hard work and you owe all your friends a favour.

DIY Move considerations:

Short Distances are perfect:

You will have to keep in mind that you will have to make a couple of back and forth trips. Consider hiring a bigger vehicle or trailer for the day, this will take a few trips off.

Labour Intensive:

Moving yourself is still a big job and a hard job at that. Especially when it comes to those heavy fridges and washing machines. I would suggest other than your few friends (and especially if they are all too busy) that you hire a few day labourers. This way you safe your back and give others a quick payday.

Timeframe & Stress:

A diy move can add quite a bit of stress. Making sure everything and everyone is in order is not a job to be taken for granted. You should ask yourself how much time do you have to spend on this move. If it’s better for you to work a few hours more to pay for the convenience of a moving company, well then you should consider it.

Typically a diy move will allow you to pack in on your own schedule, a great benefit.

Whereas many moving companies wants to pack themselves (for insurance reasons). In which case they come the day before the big move and pack your entire house in one day. This may seem like “why not”, but consider if you have lived in a house for over 10 years. How much junk do you need to sort through. All of this junk has to be sorted through before your moving company arrives, they allocate only 1 day for packing. This in its own can cause alot of stress.

Moving Company:

A moving company allows you more time and less stress (so they say). But this comes at a cost, as you will have to decide what service option suits your budget and needs the best.

Common Moving company service options:

You can pack yourself – but they take no responsibility for breakage.

They can pack for you and take responsibility – but this all happens in a day

They can pack and unpack for you – the all in one service.

Your needs and budget will determine how far you make use of your moving company.

Moving Company considerations:

Long Distances are a must:

Moving across country demands the help of a moving company. Simply hooking a trailer and adding a few friends are not going to work when the distance becomes too great. Consider how long the drive will be between the properties, how long a load will take for up and down. A short move on its own is already a full day, not to mention a log distance move.

Labour Intensive:

It is far less work when hiring a moving company, no heavy lifting and little stress on the move day. This is the biggest benefit of moving companies, to take the heavy lifting out of the matter. I would always recommend to get this option at the very least if your budget allows.

Time frame & Stress:

Moving companies should take a lot of stress out of moving, especially if you have little time and need to get things done urgently.

What are you moving:

Certain items in your home can demand special attention, like a piano or your grandmother’s dining room table. It is for these specific items best to find movers that specialise in these furniture items and always insure them, if only then for the move day.

Finding your moving company:

Get as many quotes as you can. Three quotes are not enough, make sure you have at least 5 offers. Also don’t necessarily go for the cheapest quote, they might be cheap for a reason.

Find the company with the service that suites you best. Don’t be bullied into a service option you can afford or aren’t comfortable with. There are many options available to us.

Check out their testimonials and sites like hellopeter.com. Peer reviews are still sadly the only true tested trust method we have. This is important, because the wrong company can really mess things up for you – especially if you have a big move across country.

Written by Lizl Brink, Lizl is copywriter and designer based in Johannesburg, she is also a frequent contributor to the Mafadi blog, and as an Urban investor and rejuvenation shares a passion for urban regeneration, go check out her personal portfolio here